


Revenant

by reaperlight



Category: Death Note & Related Fandoms, Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst, Based on a Tumblr Post, Dark Comedy, Don't repost, Dubious Consent Due To Identity Issues, Family Secrets, Grief/Mourning, Haunting, Hurt/Comfort, Identity Issues, M/M, Major Character Undeath, Memory Loss, Power Bottom Light, Protective Ryuk, Shinigami, Shinigami Light, Shinigami Realm, Suicidal Thoughts, Temporary Amnesia, Temporary Character Death, Trauma, do not copy to another site
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-09
Updated: 2019-07-26
Packaged: 2019-11-14 08:01:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18048698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reaperlight/pseuds/reaperlight
Summary: “That L-guy probably saw it in a movie once and thought it would work. And since he’s supposed to be a genius, clearly no one questioned him. You were brain dead, what was left of your body existed in a state of pure agony.” Ryuk swallowed, “So… as per our agreement, I wrote your name.”AU where L and Souichiro accidentally killed Light in their “mock” execution stunt.





	1. Chapter 1

“I don’t… understand?” L stared in shock at the blood-stained back window of the car. 

_“You promised me he’d be safe! I shot my— LIGHT! LIGHT, NO!”_

This wasn’t supposed to happen. 

***

“Ryuuzaki, it’s been three days. He’s brain dead. He’s not coming back.” 

“Watari, if anyone is stubborn enough to pull through this, it’s Kira.” 

“Right… I’ll leave you the current reports on the Kira killings, shall I?” 

“That’s fine, Watari.” 

***

“I’m afraid you all need to hear this, sir. The ultimate cause of death wasn’t the head trauma or any of the complications there of. No, Light Yagami died of—”

L’s eyes widened in realization _“No.”_

Souichiro hung his head in his hands. _“Please.”_

“—A heart attack. It really does seem he was just a pawn of Kira all along.”

***

L reviewed the footage again and again. It was puzzling, how the cameras went dark just before Light went into cardiac arrest. The investigators had discovered rotten apple cores had been placed in front of each and every camera beforehand, rendering them mostly useless and concealing the visuals of just what had happened in the moments before Light’s death. 

They still had audio though. 

There had been the papery sound of a book of some sort being dropped (probably on Light’s chest, given the pattern of bruising discovered at autopsy.)

And then there’d been nothing, no other sound indicating just what had happened in that hospital room other than Light’s breathing through the machines until the machines screamed when he flat-lined. 

No book of any sort had been recovered at the scene and Light was dead long before the EMTs arrived to try and revive him. 

It really did look like Light had been killed by Kira. 

Even though L was fairly certain, had been fairly certain, that Light was Kira. Or he had been Kira. 

But now where did this leave them? 

Light was dead and he’d taken any answers he might have known to the grave. 

Kira or Kiras were still killing. 

And L was thoroughly shaken by his main Kira suspect’s demise and the unwitting role he and Souichiro had played in it. 

***

If anyone asked it was because Light owed him apples, that’s all. 

But really, _like Hell_ was Ryuk going to let his best buddy and best source of entertainment in _centuries_ to waste away on that cot just to pass to Mu without at least _trying—_

*** 

Ryuk tenderly held the shivering form of the newly reborn Shinigami in his claws. 

“Wha— What happened? What _is_ this?!” The young god asked, no _demanded_ desperately and with poorly concealed terror.

Ryuk knew then, and rejoiced. 

_It was him._

_He_ was still in there.

“It’s okay! Oh, it’s okay, buddy. It’s natural to be confused!” 

_“Where the hell am I?”_

_“Home,”_ Ryuk rumbled “Oh, you’re _home_ buddy! _It’s okay!_ ” 

The new Shinigami regarded the other, larger creature that was holding him. He was a vaguely familiar presence and in a new, confusing world and a strange body that didn’t yet feel like his own that familiarity felt safe. 

“Why can’t I—? I feel like I’m forgetting something. Something _important._ Why can’t I remember?” 

“It will come back to you in time,” the elder Shinigami soothed. “Now, do you know your name?” Ryuk asked because the naming was important. 

“It’s… Kira…? No. That’s not right,” he said, a look of confusion playing out across not-quite human features as he pondered the question for a moment. “That wasn’t really my name I am … _Kyrios?_ ” It was like a revelation behind his eyes “I’m Kyrios.” 

Ryuk laughed. “That is a good name,” the older Shinigami purred. “It suits you well.” 

***

The new god was beautiful. Kyrios retained just enough of his human features to be recognizable of who he once was if you knew what to look for but not so human as to seem gross or uncanny. Indeed, he seemed all but immune to the rot of the Shinigami realm and it was as if he’d been remade in porcelain and gold. He wore a tattered suit and a fancy looking silver watch hung loosely on the being’s near skeletal wrist—the Omega Speedmaster his father gave him, the watch Light had turned into a weapon. 

Light hadn’t died in those clothes but Ryuk knew that in many ways the soul’s residual self-image was more important here than what had been reality which, Ryuk pondered, was sure to make things interesting since Light had already thought himself a God… 

Ryuk watched as the new Shinigami wrapped what had once been his tie around his head like a victory headband, yet blissfully unaware of what he was or what he would become. 

His hands, now golden claws, the talons tipped in crimson as if stained in blood. A red that matched his eyes—he had the most stunning eyes that were an ever-gleaming shade of crimson. His face, a porcelain, ever-smiling mask just as it had been in life save for the addition of fangs, though they could barely be called fangs in Ryuk’s opinion—they were cute, tiny fangs better-suited on a kitten than monsters such as them and so delicate that Ryuk couldn’t help but worry that he’d be bullied by the others if left on his own. 

_Dammit._

He was so damned beautiful and so damned lost. 

So it only made sense for Ryuk to take him under his wing, so to speak. 

*** 

Kyrios whimpered into Ryuk’s shoulder as the larger Shinigami held him while he was wracked with pains as his wings grew in. 

“I’m sorry about this, Ky,” Ryuk said softly as he scratched him lightly to relieve some of the pressure and pain on his friend’s fucked up back. “I know the conversion process can be painful and confusing.” 

“Was it confusing for you as well?” The new god of death asked shyly. 

Ryuk snorted, “Nah. I was born a Shinigami. I never had any lingering stench of mortality to strip away.” 

***

“Here Ky, buddy, I gotcha somethin’!” 

Ryuk saw a flash of recognition in the young Shinigami’s crimson eyes and the being’s rictus grin stretched from ear to ear in his eagerness. 

“Oh, you remember this part, don’t ya?”

Ryuk chuckled as he presented the newly made Shinigami with a Death Note.

“Oh _yesss,_ ” Kyrios hissed, caressing the notebook’s leather cover greedily. “I can’t _wait_ to judge more criminals!” 

Ryuk barely refrained from rolling his eyes. Of course Kira’s sense of morality carried over during the conversion process. It wouldn’t really be Light-o without it. 

“Careful with that,” Ryuk cautioned. “You can’t directly and knowingly save a human by killing with a Death Note or you’ll die.” 

“Well that’s a stupid rule. Why does it even exist?” 

“Don’t know. I suppose it’s because we’re not really supposed to care about humans. They’re our prey, you know, so we’re not supposed to… You’re not really supposed to, uh… get attached.” 

“Ah. I see… Still, that’s pretty lame.”

“Yeah. It is.” 

For a moment Kyrios wondered at the odd look Ryuk was giving him when he mentioned getting attached to humans. But then Kyrios got into devouring the lifespans of prisoners, binging at what most Shinigami would consider a truly frightening pace, and it totally slipped out of his mind to ask.

***

“Hey, Ryuk? Want to see what’s beyond the mountains?” Kyrios asked one day as they soared through the grey skies together right after he’d taught the younger god how to fly. 

Light, _Kyrios,_ took to it like he was always meant to have wings. 

“Why? It’s just dust and more dust.”

“Maybe so, but I still want to see it.” 

“…okay,” Ryuk readily agreed. 

And even if it was just dust and more dust the trip had been interesting, if only because the other was there. 

Ryuk admired his companion as he perched upon the mountain top, to gaze out longingly upon the ashes, as if surveying his domain. Between the young god’s fluffy white wings and how the desolate winds of the Shinigami Realm whipped through the new God’s longer red-brown hair he looked all the worlds like a fallen angel that didn’t exist. 

***

The others could laugh all they want about how the strange new Shinigami took to following him around but Ryuk didn’t begrudge him for it. He knew he was the only thing Kyrios knew here and Ryuk never really cared what the other Shinigami thought anyway. 

Ryuk ignored the other Shinigami when they commented on how uncharacteristically welcoming he was to his new charge. How he’d opened up his cave to him without a second thought, how he took him to see the sights as they were, how he taught him everything he knew without ever asking anything in return. 

Because, _dammit,_ that was his friend in there—that was _Light,_ even if he’d forgotten… 

Ryuk was ever-mystified as the Shinigami that had been Light cuddled up next to him on the floor of their cave. Shinigami didn’t strictly need to sleep but there was seldom much to do in the Shinigami Realm and the recently reborn especially tended to still fall into the old human habit of at least trying to sleep. 

***

“Ryuk…?”

“Hmm?” 

“Just… What are we?”

“Shinigami.”

“No, I mean, I know that! It’s just … _what are we?_ ” 

Kyrios had noticed a change in the other Shinigami as they seemed to get more comfortable around each other. He’d also noticed that at times Ryuk seemed reluctant to say his name and would catch himself from almost calling him another name by giving some form of friendly address or endearment. 

Kyrios was curious about that. It seemed obvious that Ryuk knew who he was or what he’d been _before_ but he hadn’t pushed because Ryuk had said the memories would return on their own. But he was even more curious about how ‘buddy’ and ‘pal’ had given way to more often calling him ‘darling,’ ‘precious,’ and ‘my dear.’ 

“Were we like, uh… _together?_ " 

"We're always together," Ryuk hedged. 

"Yeah, I know but. Uh.... I mean together-together? Dammit! Ryuk, are you my boyfriend—?”

Ryuk supposed he could have lied. Light, _Kyrios,_ currently didn’t know up from down. 

However Ryuk knew that he was smart enough to figure it out eventually and furthermore he just… didn’t want to do that to him. Not after he’d already watched his beautiful human pet dying in agony, those fierce, vibrant eyes become dull and lifeless before his death as he’d become an empty shell of what he once was... 

“No. I mean, we were just roommates, nothing more.” 

“Do you love me, Ryuk?” 

_Shit. He just asked it, point blank..._

Ryuk swallowed, but answered—even if it damned him. 

“…Yes.” 

Ryuk froze in shock as he felt the other’s claws on upper arm, they might as well have burned him like a brand, as he realized the other Shinigami was touching him ( _Light_ was touching him! Light was willingly touching him… no, this wasn’t…) Ryuk stared uncomprehending as the other leaned into his space and Kyrios tentatively kissed him. 

“…Don’t,” Ryuk warned with clear anguish.

“Why not?” the other demanded, as he pulled away, red-brown bangs falling into his eyes as he tried, and failed to mask his hurt. 

“I… Ligh— _Kyrios, no!_ You don’t know up from down at the moment! When you remember, you’ll hate me.” 

“Why? Why would I ever hate you, Ryuk? Does it really matter who I was before? Was I someone horrible, hideous?”

“ _No!_ No, you were perfect, love. It’s me. I’m horrible and hideous.” 

“You’re not,” Light insisted, softly touching the other’s face. 

“Ryuk… You’re my best friend and I just... I want… _Please?_ ”

Dammit.

Damn all the rules. 

Damn them to the darkest depths of Mu. 

Ryuk kissed him then. It was a harsh clash of fangs, a dance of elongated tongues as he explored Light’s new body. His wings were still very sensitive as they clung to each other amid the ash and dust and his Light, _Kyrios,_ took him in, _took him all…_

The missive came as they still lazed together in a tangle of wings and long limbs. (Though to be fair that itself had felt like an eternity given that neither of them had mortal bodies nor had either of them felt a pressing need to move.) Still, it felt like that didn’t take long at all.

It seemed it was already time to face the music. 

***

Ryuk was old enough to know that Rule 36 wasn’t a real rule but was added later, mere propaganda meant to discourage breeding with humans and to prevent more Shinigami-human hybrids from walking the Earth and mucking things up with eyes they never bought or wings they shouldn’t have but even if Ryuk couldn’t breed with Kyrios and they were both Shinigami it was still generally frowned upon. Ryuk also knew that the King had added the clause “Shinigami can’t have sex with each other” just out of pettiness because the King wasn’t getting any and so he saw no reason anyone else should either. 

The bitter old ball of bones could be an asshole like that. 

“Hey Old Man, what’s up!” Ryuk asked, trying for casual. 

“Ryuk…”The pile of bones spoke slowly, drawing out the suspense. 

In the interim, Ryuk subtly positioned himself in front of his companion. Not that it would do much good but if the Old Man was mad the least he could do was draw his wrath away from Kyrios who didn’t even yet understand their world let alone about the rules they had just broken.

“You’ve done well. He is an excellent choice of consort.”

“Er… thanks?” Kyrios piped up despite Ryuk’s attempts to hide him. 

“Finally…. I can leave my Kingdom in your capable hands,” the bone pile rasped before it suddenly crumbled to dust and Ryuk mournfully hung his head.

 _“Wha—?!”_ Kyrios didn’t know what had just happened but Ryuk was clearly somewhat saddened by the being’s demise. “Ryuk, uh… what just happened?” 

Ryuk sighed. The King was, _had been_ an asshole for most of his eternal life. But still… “That was my father.”

“Oh. _I’m so sorry!_ ”

“Eh… he got tired of immortality a long time ago. I think he’s been here since the beginning actually. Guess that explains why he was such a crank. Anyway, that’s why he initially created us. The original Shinigami. He wanted us to take over for him but I… I never really had the patience to rule. I was never much of the heir he wanted I’m afraid, but I was the best he had and all the others, well, they either proved unworthy or bit the dust long ago. I’m the last of the First Ones, his heirs. But I guess with you with me, with us as partners… he finally felt he could let go?” Ryuk wondered aloud and Kyrios noted that the elder Shinigami seemed just as shocked by this development as he did. “I _did_ tell him how awesome you are a while back, because you’re brilliant, ya’ know? Even back when you were, uh— _anyway!_ Well the short answer I guess is that the King just bequeathed the Kingdom to us, or rather to _you._ ”

 _“Me?!”_

“Yep, it’s all yours!” Ryuk chuckled at the stretched, mad grin and open avarice in the other Shinigami’s face. “I _knew_ you’d like that.” 

“But… why me?” 

“Because you can do what I can’t. And I can do what you can’t. We balance each other out, I guess.”

“So we rule as two kings?”

“Nah. I mean, officially, yeah but I told you, I’m still not much interested in ruling. Can’t say I’m too fond of enforcing rules or doing paperwork. You can be the King, Kyrios, but I wouldn’t mind being your Prince-Consort and kept man.” 

They both shared a chuckle as Ryuk retrieved an artifact from the pile of dust—the King’s “scypter,” a combination scythe and scepter. 

“The King is Dead. Long Live the King. Here you go, precious. You deserve it.” 

Kyrios couldn’t help but beam as Ryuk placed the crown upon his head. 

***

Ryuk watched as Light… Kyrios sat upon his throne of skulls, the scypter in his taloned grasp and a very familiar pensive look upon his face as he mulled things over in his head. 

“Wait, if I’m the King now does that mean I can change the rules? I mean, what if you don’t know a human is planning to kill another human when you devour their lifespan? There are a lot of nasty humans down there that kill other humans…” 

Ryuk lay at the young god’s feet beneath the throne, casually munching on a rotten Shinigami world apple. They weren’t as good as the one’s on Earth but it was passable in a pinch. 

“You should take that up with Nu and Armonia Justin, Ky. They know the rules _and_ the procedures to change them far better than I do.” 

The former Kira’s crimson eyes glinted with purpose. 

“I will.” 

***

“All rise for his Imperial Majesty Lord Kyrios!” 

_"Are you serious?!”_ whined one of the lesser Shinigami from their card game. 

“Deadly serious.” 

The Shinigami shared a chuckle at that because everything was always deadly serious. 

“The Old Man is dead and this place is under new management.”

“By who, you?”

“No, my mate-consort actually. His Imperial Majesty Lord Kyrios.” 

The newbie Shinigami proved this wasn’t just Ryuk’s attempt at a joke when he casually whipped out the “Scypter” that only the Realm-recognized King could wield and as one the Shinigami who’d been whiling away eternity playing cards fell to their knees before the younger God. 

“My lords… You said you were… _Mates?_ You can do that now?”

“Yep!” Ryuk announced gleefully to the assembled fiends. “You see? Things are already starting to change around here. You won’t be punished for that anymore.” 

“Also you won’t be punished for killing murderers anymore either, because that rule was really unfair,” Kyrios interjected, speaking for the first time. “How is the average Shinigami supposed to know the intent of the average human?” 

“Hey, I like this guy!” 

“My liege, what is thy bidding!” 

“Well… for right now I just wanted to make sure you guys had enough years. I’ve heard of a lot of Shinigami disintegrating lately. And after that, well, uh… we kind of thought we might plant some apple trees?” 

“Oh, I _really_ like this guy!” 

***

Something had been bugging Kyrios ever since he’d gone out and talked with the other Shinigami. 

“Ryuk…”

“Huh?” 

“I’m not knocking it, but… Why am I the King? I am a young God among our kind. Surely there are other Shinigami out there that are more powerful, more knowledgeable than I?” 

“Like I said, I may have put in a good word for you,” Ryuk’s grin widened as he ruffled the other Shinigami’s hair. “Also because you’re my mate and I _wanted_ to give you a Kingdom.”

“But…” 

“Yeah, technically I’m the Heir. But it’s like I told you before I never had any interest in ruling this dust bowl. You know I’m easily bored and get easily distracted. I never had the patience needed to learn this sort of stuff. _You though_ … you’re _brilliant._ And you’re more Shinigami than most Shinigami these days. Even back when you were human—”

Kyrios froze. “…I was a human?” 

“ _Crap._ I shouldn’t have said that,” Ryuk wrung his talons through his hair. “You would have found out eventually but I _really_ was supposed to let you find that out on your own.” 

“But… I’m the King now, right? I won’t punish you if you tell me?” 

“Heh.”

Ryuk had been dreading this day. He supposed he could lie but Light was clever—Ryuk had no doubt he would have figured it out sooner rather than later and if he later found out he’d lied to him this thing between them would no doubt come to an end. 

“I was human and then… somehow became a God of Death… I died, didn’t I?” Kyrios prompted. 

For Mu’s sake, it was probably over anyway once Light realized he’d been the one to kill him. 

“You were always too smart for your own good, Light-o.”

“That was my name, wasn’t it? How did I die?”

With a defeated air, the elder Shinigami pulled out his personal Death Note off his belt and turned it to the page where “Light Yagami” was written and presented it to his King. 

“I… I don’t understand?” Kyrios gasped out, Ryuk’s Death Note and the damning evidence therein clutched in his shaking claws. 

Ryuk could tell that Kyrios _did_ understand. He knew exactly what it meant that Ryuk had his human name written in his Death Note. What he really wanted to know was _why._

So Ryuk told him. _Everything._

“…I think your father went along with it because he thought he was helping you prove your innocence or something. I’m guessing that L-guy probably saw it in a movie once and thought it would work. And since he’s supposed to be a genius, clearly no one questioned him. You were brain dead, what was left of your body existed in a state of pure agony.” Ryuk swallowed, “So… as per our agreement, I wrote your name.” 

The Shinigami that had once been Light seemed to be absorbing this information. The frozen mad smile across the other Shinigami’s face did nothing to conceal his growing distress as Ryuk unwound his mortal life for him and his rather messy end. 

“The moment that bullet entered your brain you were effectively dead even though your body, cruelly, remained alive and in pain. You’re consciousness was destroyed. There was no coming back from that. Not by humans means. So before I wrote your name, I restored your ownership of the notebook so that at least your mind and soul would be repaired upon your death and you wouldn’t just pass to Mu like any mere human. In a way it was fortunate you’d forfeited the Death Note before you got shot in the head. Because the notebook contained your memories of the Death Note, it helped to restore your mind upon your rebirth.” 

“…Like backup files on a computer,” Kyrios muttered before his crimson eyes widened in shock “I know what a computer is. I… _remember_ human things.” 

“That’s good news, Ky! You’ll probably remember more given time.” 

“But why?”

“Why what? 

“Why do that for me? I was just some human to you and…” 

“And I wanted you back. I never… I never wanted to leave you to begin with,” Ryuk sighed; he was still waiting for the oncoming storm. It was good while it lasted but he wouldn’t blame Kyrios if he never wanted to see him again after this. “But between Rem and her human girl and the maneuverings of that detective that ultimately got you killed I suppose you’d felt you had no choice. I should have… I should have told you Rem couldn’t have killed you even if she wanted to. Maybe you would have lasted longer. Or not. You took a lot of risks and Kira pissed off a lot of people, you know.”

Kyrios closed his gleaming red eyes and took an unnecessary breath, seeming to collect himself. 

_“…Okay. “_

Ryuk started as his King idly reached out to gently stroke his black wing feathers. Kyrios had done that frequently when he’d first been reborn and was confused and lost and wanted comfort but now it was clearly a comfort gesture meant just as much for Ryuk as it was meant for him. 

Ryuk dared to look at the other’s face and see the warring emotions playing out there. There was sadness, of course, and anger, but there was something else, too: (dare he even hope for) forgiveness. 

Ryuk froze, shocked when Kyrios suddenly embraced him _“Thank you.”_

“For _killing you?_ ” Ryuk rasped with something actually approaching guilt. 

“For everything you’ve done. I understand, Ryuk. It was a mercy,” Kyrios swallowed. “And you’ve done so much. I wouldn’t even be here if you hadn’t…” Ky seemed to recover himself. “And now I am King. And that’s all thanks to you. So now we’re going to rule this kingdom and restore it to its proper glory— _together._ ” 

“Light— _Kyrios._ ”

“Ryuk, come here.”

Ryuk watched, mystified as the young God-King climbed into the larger Shinigami’s lap and sat there as if it were his throne. 

Ryuk enthusiastically serviced his King and wondered just what he’d done to get so lucky. 

***

“What’s on your mind, Ky?” Ryuk asked as they relaxed together among the pillow fort they’d constructed in an out of the way room in the Castle of Death. Or tried to. Ryuk had noticed the long hours Kyrios laid awake in the darkness. Perhaps he was truly beginning to realize that his body no longer required sleep.

“I just… I guess I still don’t understand? 

“What’s to understand?” Ryuk asked, running his talons through Ky’s hair. 

“Even accounting for _all that_ … even accounting for… _him,_ for Kira, why would the last King entrust me with the responsibilities of the entire realm, to someone who he knew was so recently human?” 

“We are _Gods,_ you know, Ky. Let’s just say you better fit the _concept_ of our King than any of the Shinigami here.” 

“Not only was I recently human, I… _Light_ clearly failed at whatever he’d been attempting to achieve.”

“Yeah. Fate is a bitch like that sometimes. But Death is fair and The Old Man must have seen your potential when he named us his successors. He wouldn't have done it just for _my sake_. He knows me too well, I'm afraid. You're the responsible one," Ryuk snorted. "I've always loved to stir shit up." 

Not to mention The Shinigami Realm was so broken and rotten there was hardly a Kingdom to rule these days. The role of King was more symbolic than anything else but Ryuk didn’t really want to hurt Ky’s feelings and also was curious to see just what Kyrios would do when he put his own boredom and genius mind to it. 

"But—" 

"Also, I don’t think you yet realize just how much more powerful you are compared to them. That's okay, I mean, it took me a while to see it too but... You know humans hardly believe in us anymore? Shinigami are just stories to scare human children these days. But they believe in _you_ though. You yet have active worshippers in your incarnation as Kira. And for Gods that translates into like, _raw power._ You needn’t worry, Ky,” Ryuk chuckled at the alarmed and intrigued look that crossed the other Shinigami's features. “Kira will not fade from human memory anytime soon.” 

“But I’m not…? Not anymore? Does it really count if I’m no longer…?” 

“Yes. _Concepts,_ Light— _Ky_. You worry too much and you’re still thinking about this like a human. Relax, you’ve got eternity to figure yourself out,” Ryuk insisted, while gently scratching between Ky’s wing feathers. Kyrios blissfully melted into the pillows under his lover’s attention and that was the end of that line of questioning. 

***

Ryuk looked on with some concern when he happened upon Kyrios later taking a break from his Kingly duties to sit by one of the viewing pools, peering down at the human world. He’d already written his fill of names in the Death Note and yet he remained, watching the human world pensively. 

“So I guess that means… if I was human once…? I had a life down there? Sorry… this is pathetic, isn’t it?" Ky turned away. "Chasing shadows. I’m the King and I’m allowing myself to be distracted by…” 

“It’s not pathetic, Ky. It’s natural to be curious about who you used to be,” Ryuk assured. 

“It’s just… I think… I feel like I still have some unfinished business down there.”

“Then shall we pay them a visit, my King?” Ryuk asked, offering him his hand. 

The younger God's eyes lit up at the prospect. “We can… we can do that?” 

“Of course! You’re the King of Death, remember?” Ryuk cackled. “We can do whatever we want.”


	2. Chapter 2

As Ryuk had assured him the memories of his human life did return though they were still foggy and held no specific meaning to Kyrios. Though he could acknowledge that they were foundational into shaping him into what he now was, they still felt like they belonged to someone else and it was this layer of distance that protected his psyche when he contemplated the humans he used to know. 

Humans like Souichiro Yagami—the man who had been his father, who taught him to be responsible, to be just and fair—the human who’d been tricked into facilitating his death. He supposed that Light might have felt betrayed and hurt by all that but as far as Kyrios was concerned he just felt… _numb._ He didn’t even blame him, really, because the man who had been Light’s father in life had ultimately proved to be just as fallible as any human. 

Kyrios was torn, now that his memories of his past life had returned he didn’t know what to with them or, for that matter, if he should do anything at all. While he was curious about what had become of his mortal family he also didn’t want to cause them pain, or rather, any _more_ pain.

He’d been human, he somewhat remembered what being human was like now, and he recalled that most humans were of the opinion that the dead should stay dead. 

So when Kyrios flew down with Ryuk, he initially held no intentions of bothering people he used to know—but he figured that just sightseeing in the human world couldn’t hurt...  
Kyrios froze in mid-flight, hissed and clutched his head, momentarily overwhelmed. 

_“Ky?”_

“What is this? I hear—Voices. _Thousands of voices._ I hear them,” Ky gasped, “They’re in my head.”

“Wha… _Oh!_ I get it! Heh. I told ya, you have active worshippers. That’s very rare these days.” 

Out of curiosity, Kyrios followed one of the stronger and more desperate cries to its source, phasing through the wall of an expensive high rise apartment to find a weeping human girl. 

“Oh, it looks like they let Misa go... _Of course_ they did,” Ryuk muttered to himself. 

It was one of those weird double standards humans seemed to have. The Taskforce had always treated Misa far more gently than they did with Light even though she had killed one of their own, there was a stronger case against her, and she’d left physical evidence behind. 

“Misa?” 

Oh yes, Misa Amane. He kind of remembered her now. Kyrios cringed at the memories. He didn’t exactly hold fond memories of this human or the events around them that eventually led up to his death. 

Oh yes, _he remembered now._ He’d been trapped into a relationship with the Second Kira and had to manipulate her to avoid being murdered. 

Not that that had made much of a difference in the end. 

Even so, the sight of the sobbing girl was so pitiful—it kind of annoyed him. 

Ky supposed he sort of felt sorry for her, to the extent he was capable of feeling sorry for a human—especially since she was still convinced that she loved him. 

Come to think of it, that could still be useful. 

“Oh, Light! _LIGHT!_ ” the girl sobbed while clutching an odd-looking bottle that gave off the distinctive sound of rattling of pills. 

Kyrios just exchanged bewildered looks with Ryuk. 

“Is she… talking to me?”

“She can’t see you unless you show yourself to her,” Ryuk reminded him. 

Kyrios shrugged and brushed the weeping girl with a scrap of notebook paper

“Uh… hey, Misa.” 

Misa abruptly dropped the bottle of pills on the ground—her plan to sleep forever and leave a beautiful corpse dashed along with them. 

_“LIGHT!”_

Ky startled as the petite human dove at him. He reluctantly caught the girl but was careful to keep his personal Death Note out of her reach. The last thing he wanted was to be stuck bound to her. 

Armonia Justin had explained that some rules of the Death Note were sacrosanct and even as the King he didn’t think he could get out of that and even if Hell didn’t exist as a physical place, that was the very definition of Hell as far as Ky was concerned.

Misa clung to his chest, weeping softly. 

Light shot a pleading look at Ryuk who was currently too busy laughing at his predicament, the traitor. 

“Light, I’m sorry! _I’m so sorry!_ I couldn’t stop them!”

“Hey! Hey… it’s okay. Its okay, Misa. I don’t blame you,” Ky insisted, the gleaming rubies of his eyes held more compassion for her than he’d ever held for her when he was alive. 

“Misa, it’s alright. As you can see, I have ascended.”

 _“Oh, Light!”_

“My name is Kyrios,” he gently corrected her. “I’m a God of Death now,” Ky said, grinning his constant grin and Misa dried her eyes. She’d never seen him so pleased. “The King of the Shinigami in fact.” 

“Oh, Light! _Kyrios_ … it doesn’t matter that you’re a Shinigami. I’m still yours!” 

Misa hugged him again and Ky suppressed a shudder. “I… don’t need you to do that. But there _is_ something you can do for me. I have an idea for the human realm but I need agents on Earth to carry it out—”

 _“Anything!”_

“Wait… Misa, don’t accept this lightly.” 

“I don’t care! I’ll do whatever you want. You know I’m yours to use.”

“But it could spell more trouble for you,” Ky warned her. “You’ll be the focal point of all those opposed to us.”

“That’s okay. I know those nasty old perverts are always going to monitor me anyway. Please, Kyrios? Let me have this? I’ve had nothing to live for since…” 

“Don’t say that. You’re young and beautiful and you have many years ahead of you. For Mu’s sake, a Shinigami _died_ so you would have many years ahead of you—”

 _“I never asked him to!”_

“I know. We don’t always get to choose our destinies. But will you choose this? Will you be my High Priestess? Gather my faithful to send me and the other Shinigami prayers and lists of criminals to judge. Build up the Church of Kira in the Human world so Kira’s law may reign forevermore.” 

“Yes! Oh, yes! Oh, Light, _Kyrios, thank you so much!_ ”

“No, _thank you,_ Misa,” Kyrios said sincerely as he willingly embraced her this time, grinning madly over her shoulder because things were as they should be. He could already _feel it._ Misa would help consolidate his power in the mortal realm for many centuries to come. 

***

“Did you have to hug her?” Ryuk whined. 

“Are you jealous darling? She’s just a mortal girl. You know she means nothing to me.” 

Ryuk’s soft growl couldn’t mask his obvious hurt. 

“I… I’m sorry, love. It’s just… I kinda felt sorry for her, you know? And she is one of my most devoted followers. Besides, would you rather she be up in the Shinigami Realm with us? If I just killed her wouldn’t she become a Shinigami too?” 

“…Possibly. But then she doesn’t have a notebook right now—it would be more likely she’d become a Shinigami if she died while owning a notebook but… it’s hard to say.”  
“Well, in any case, now that I’ve given her something to do it will keep her out of our hair for a while. Hopefully until her lifespan runs out, and it’s quite a long lifespan even though she halved it once given she’s using Gelus’s years. Provided she stays dedicated to her role as the High Priestess we won’t have to worry about Misa for quite a few centuries.” 

“I hope your right, darling. You know I’d rather not share you,” Ryuk rumbled and Kyrios felt a thrill at Ryuk’s possessive growl. “Least of all with _her._ ” 

Kyrios snorted. “You have no worries of _that_ happening. I’m all yours,” Ky assured him. 

“Oh, we’ll see about that,” Ryuk rumbled. 

The pair laughed together as they embraced on the rooftop and engaged in what was quickly becoming one of their favorite forms of easing boredom. 

The occupants of the NPA building below were none the wiser of the two Gods of Death having screaming sex on the roof. 

***

It was after taking a quick detour, when the pair decided to raid the NPA’s evidence lockers, to see if there was anything of Light Yagami’s things that Kyrios wanted to keep (as it turned out nothing they’d seized was of any import to him and anything Kyrios might have wanted had appeared with him upon his rebirth) when they happened upon a peculiar sight when Ky decided to take a peek at his once nemesis for kicks. 

At first they assumed he was out. It was so dark in there they hadn’t noticed him huddled in the corner, even with Shinigami’s night vision, not until they were both startled by a sudden sob in the darkness—L was sitting alone in a dark room, not even lit by the usual glow of the computer screen. 

“I think… I think I… I think I loved you Light. Or I could have had you not been Kira.” 

Ky’s ruby eyes widened in alarm. _What?!_ “…I thought humans can’t see us unless we let them?” 

“He can’t see us,” Ryuk replied, “He has no idea we’re here.” 

“…but that hardly matters now,” L lamented, his face concealed by his dark mane, but there was no denying the way he trembled. 

Kyrios had to resist the peculiar urge to lay his claws on the man’s shoulder and lie—to tell him that everything was alright—which was absurd because the man couldn’t even see or hear him. Not to mention that this man had caused him nothing but grief in his mortal life… 

“I was _stupid_ and now you’re gone.” The detective was speaking quietly to and gently touching a picture on his desk—a rather nice profile of his dead, mortal incarnation which had clearly taken from surveillance photos. 

The pair of Shinigami shared an awkward look. 

“…I guess humans go through grief in different ways,” Ryuk muttered quietly. 

“He’s grieving for… _me?_ ” 

“Sure looks like it. Which is kinda weird, well, considering…” 

L sniffled, “Kira is still killing and now Watari means to replace _me._ ”

Ryuk growled softly when L gently caressed the cheek of the dead human in the photograph “As if he has any reason to grieve for you when he’s the entire reason I had to…”  
Kyrios gently put his claws on the larger Shinigami’s chest. “I know, love. I know.” 

While he didn’t share Ryuk’s fury Ky couldn’t help but smirk slightly at his lover’s jealous display on his behalf; though he could admit that Lawliet carrying on about this was making him more than a little uncomfortable. 

Kyrios wasn’t sure what he felt for this human, if anything. While the memories of his human life were coming back quickly they didn’t really feel _real_ to him. It was like trying to see the world through a filter of opaque glass. 

“We should probably talk to Rem next,” Kyrios abruptly decided, “We’ll figure out what to do with Lawliet later.”

“Yeah… that sounds like a plan.” 

***

Rem sensed the seldom-felt presence of the King himself before she saw him and nearly had a heart attack of her own. 

“My King?! I… _You?!_ " 

“Yeah. _Me._ ” 

A lot had changed for Light Yagami but he was still easily recognizable as the human she despised.

“I’m afraid things didn’t work out as exactly as we’d hoped, Rem. I’m sure you’ll be glad to hear that things worked out well for Misa though.”

“Misa?! How is she? Is she—?”

“She’s fine. Alive. Still human. If you so wish to be rid of this fraud you may return to her side. Though, just a word of advice, it may be for the best if you do not give her another notebook and bond with her again. The humans will be watching her now. And you _know_ if you give her another Death Note she’ll just take the eyes again.” 

Rem gasped in horror like such a thing hadn’t even occurred to her. 

For someone who professed to love Misa, she truly didn’t know her at all.

“Pardon me, _your highness,_ if I am skeptical of this given the ‘success’ of your last plan—” 

“Oh, come off it, Rem,” Ryuk scoffed. “His plan _would have worked_ if the “world’s greatest detective” wasn’t so stupid as to form his plans around movie logic. Hey, Light! Maybe we can snuff out Lawliet by making him try to outrun an explosion!” Ryuk cackled at the thought. 

“ _No._ None of that,” Kyrios said, cutting off that line of thinking immediately though he shared a sly grin with Ryuk to show that he appreciated the thought. “L is mine—” Kyrios growled softly and Ryuk had the inkling that _now_ was really the time to be jealous. The elder Shinigami suppressed a sigh. He should have seen it coming, what with the way Kira and L obsessed over each other in life… 

Ryuk startled when Kyrios casually intertwined his golden talons with his own. 

“I haven’t decided what I want to do with Lawliet yet but he shouldn’t have the mercy of such a quick death—not after what he did to us.” 

Ryuk chuckled and Rem bowed her head, apparently appeased by the idea of revenge. 

“Yes, you’re highness,” said Rem, this time without a trace of sarcasm. 

*** 

Things were going as planned. Kyrios had consolidated his power on Earth. Rem had freed herself from Higuchi and had returned to Misa’s side. 

And Higuchi… 

Well, Higuchi was a disgusting sort of human and was hardly deserving of immortal life but the realm really did need more Shinigami given how badly it had fallen into disrepair and how many Shinigami had crumbled to dust. And if the greedy and ambitious soul of the corrupt businessman proved troublesome down the road, Kyrios would not hesitate to throw the book at him, so to speak. 

*** 

Though the memories of his mortal life were slowly returning upon his observing and interacting with the human world, they were muted and held no strong emotional attachment to the young Shinigami King. Kyrios figured it hardly mattered anyway—that life was gone and he was happy with where and who he was now—but while Kyrios wasn’t that person anymore, he did feel some lingering _something_ on behalf of the Yagami family. 

However he wasn’t quite sure how to approach them and in any event he wasn’t quite ready for any of that yet. 

Given how successful his first interaction with a Worshipper had turned out Ky decided to follow a couple more. Ky frowned as he regarded the royal viewing pool, pinpointing the source of some of the more ardent cries. “I kind of want to explore this,” he mused aloud, “But I’m not sure if I should keep showing myself to humans.” 

“You don’t have to keep showing yourself to humans, you know,” Armonia Justin informed him “You’re the King. The King has more powers than the typical Shinigami.” 

Ky sat up, suddenly alert from his throne of skulls. 

“What sort of powers?” 

“Well, dream walking, for one. It was once a favored method of communicating with humans,” the bejeweled Shinigami said, casually offered up an ancient tome on the nearly lost art of dream walking. 

“Thank you,” Ky said sincerely and immediately began flipping through the book, absorbing the information at a truly frightening pace. “Honestly? I can do all this? Why did the last king just sit around then?” 

The golden skeleton chuckled. “The Last King got tired of torturing mortals eons ago.” 

“I’m not interested in torturing mortals,” Ky insisted. 

Armonia Justin just bowed politely. “As you say.” 

***

Ky followed some of the stronger cries and realized why this cry was different—they were grieving for Light, not Kira. 

Kyrios quickly diverted course away from his old house. 

He wasn’t ready for that yet.

He wasn’t sure he’d _ever_ be ready.

He was curious about the other’s grieving for Light who weren’t his family though. 

Kyrios was drawn to one of the neighboring houses and he and Ryuk invaded the dreams of his once classmate, Yamamoto which surprised Kyrios. He hadn’t thought that they were that close. 

The astral projection of the dreaming human shrieked upon seeing the two Shinigami. 

“What… _what the hell?!_ ” 

“Hey Yamamoto!” 

“L-Light? _Light Yagami?_ Is that really…? Am I dreaming?” 

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean it’s not real." 

“What happened?”

“I died.”

“I… I know that but… What is…?” 

“Oh, don’t mind me,” the clown demon cut in, speaking for the first time. “I’m just here for moral support.” 

“This is Ryuk, my mate-consort. Uh, what’s the human term again? Husband? Boyfriend?” 

“Oh, uh… congratulations?” 

“Thank you.” 

“Uh… not to be rude, but why are you here?” 

“I guess I just… I wanted to see how you’re doing?” 

Yamamoto snorted. “How do you think? _You’re dead!_ ” 

The reality of that suddenly hit him again and liquid began to build up behind his eyes. 

No, _no way,_ he was not going to start crying again! 

“Yeah, but I guess you could say Death is treating me rather well. But how are you?” the being that had been Light asked sincerely. 

“I… It’s been rough, you know? I-I’ve missed you,” he said, letting out a broken laugh through now free flowing tears. “I missed being able to copy your homework too.” 

“Well, I’m afraid I didn’t do the homework this time.” 

Yamamoto snorted, “That’s a first.” 

“Hey, I’m dead. What’s your excuse? But… I can have a look at it for you?” 

“R-really? Thanks, dude!” 

The shade shrugged. “It’s no problem.” 

***

Yamamoto woke up exhausted, his eyes still wet. He’d been numb ever since he heard the news about Light. He’d thought he’d gotten over it, but evidently not if his mind had decided to start torturing him with… _whatever the fuck_ that was, interrupting what had previously been a pleasant and very graphic hentai fantasy to bring him a grief-driven nightmare of monster Light acting like it was no big deal he died and introducing him to his monster boyfriend—which was hardly a shock, really, well, the boyfriend part at least—it had been obvious for a while now that they had different tastes in porn. 

Maybe he should see a therapist… 

Yamamoto yelped and gave a start, stumbling and falling back onto his bed upon seeing his desk was not the way he’d left it. His workspace had been cleaned and organized and the math homework he had neglected to do was completed and, there was no mistaking, it was in Yagami’s neat handwriting.


	3. Chapter 3

“Oh hey, I know you!” Kyrios exclaimed, surprised to realize that the human worshipper whose dreams he was intruding on was again someone he recognized from his mortal life—it was the rookie his dad… _Souichiro Yagami,_ had over at the house sometimes. “Matsuda, right?” 

Light hadn’t known him very well, back when he was human. But, of course now that he was a Shinigami he had no trouble with names, his eyes being able to see every human’s name floating above their heads even if he wouldn’t have been able to remember this acquaintance otherwise. 

The man seemed touched that he remembered him and, well, just very emotive in general. 

_“…Light-kun?”_ Matsuda sobbed because this golden, angelic being certainly looked like the Chief’s dead son. 

Matsuda yelped when he saw the larger more monstrous form that stood beside the shade that had been Light. 

"Don't mind me," the monster said with a grin. 

"Don't mind him," Light agreed, also grinning. 

"R-right... Am I dreaming?”

"If you'd like—Oh... Uh, you don’t need to cry for me, Matsuda-san,” Kyrios said, taken aback by the man’s show of emotions. “I mean, things worked out well enough...” 

_“Well enough?!_ You’re dead!”

“So people keep telling me,” Ky shrugged. “But I’m also a God now so things kind of evened out.” 

“Were you… were you Kira, Light?” 

The angelic-looking being shrugged. He supposed it hardly mattered now. Then again it might cause problems for the Yagami family if it became known... Or would it be worse for his father if everyone thought him innocent?

And, dammit, _why the hell did he care?_

Well, a _dream_ was hardly compelling evidence in either case... 

“...I barely remember my human life so I suppose I can't be sure. Pretty sure I wasn't when I died though," Ky answered earnestly. "It’s, uh… _complicated._ ”

Matsuda let out a bitter laugh. “The whole thing was complicated wasn’t it? Have you spoken to your father yet?” 

“I…I’m not sure what to say to him. Like I said, I didn’t even remember who I was let alone who he was until recently. I didn’t really remember anything about my human life. And… I know he killed me, albeit accidentally. I’m not sure how I should feel about all that… or if I should see them at all. My human family. I barely know them now and I guess… I guess they never really knew me.” 

_“You should,”_ Matsuda insisted, with such certainty, such intensity that it momentarily cowed the two Shinigami present. 

“…Then I will,” Light promised. 

Matsuda seemed to just realize what that could mean. “Please don’t hurt him! The Chief. I know he killed you but he didn’t mean to! Even if you were Kira, I'm sure—”

Kyrios sighed and rubbed at the bridge of his nose with his claws before cutting off whatever inane thing he was about to say. Needless to say he didn't have Matsuda's certainty. How could he when his father actually _had_ killed him for being Kira, even if he didn't _mean to._

“I don’t _hate_ him, Matsuda,” Kyrios insisted; an enduring melancholy shone through in the creature’s crimson eyes. “He was just doing what he thought was right. I can’t promise I _won’t_ hurt him but I mean it when I say I’ll _try_ not to. I won’t kill him, or attack him, or take any action with a knowing intent to harm. But it seems just my presence here is hurting _you_ and I barely even knew you. It might upset him more if I visit him.” 

Matsuda sniffled. “You… your death, it destroyed him, you know? He’ll want to see you. _I’m sure,_ even if it hurts…” 

Red-gold claws intertwined with human hands as the creature that had been Light sincerely grasped and shook Matsuda’s hand.

“Then I will. I’ll help him… if I can.” 

“Thank you,” Matsuda breathed. 

The angel vanished into the night and Matsuda awoke, tears streaming down his face, and wondering if any of it had been real or if it had just been a very vivid dream. 

***

Kyrios was surprisingly nervous, even though he barely knew these people anymore, if he ever really did at all. 

He wasn’t that person anymore. But for their sake he figured it wouldn’t kill him to at least _pretend_ to be Light Yagami again for a single night. Or rather the Light Yagami they wanted to see. After all, what had once been his family was left broken and grieving after the head of the household was accidentally made to murder his son. 

The young King of the Shinigami alighted the roof of what had once been his house. As he walked through these mortals dreams and nightmares he issued a command, infused with magic: _“You’re going to be okay.”_

It was the least he could do… 

***

_“Sayu… you got to look out for them now. I know you’re smarter than you pretend to be. You never needed me to do your homework for you.”_

_“Light-nii! I just wanted to spend time with you!”_

_“I know. I’m sorry I can’t be there for you anymore. But it’s time to show the world who Sayu Yagami is. You’re more than just my shadow. You’re better than me. Live your life. Be happy.”_

_Sayu awoke with tears in her eyes and a single white feather lay on her dresser that hadn’t been there the night before._

*** 

_“Mom, please don’t blame dad. It’s not his fault. He really was trying to do what was best for everyone.”_

_“You forgive him?”_

_“Yes.”_

Sachiko frowned at the beautiful illusion of her lost son. “Light, please. None of this. Let me see you. _Really see you._ ” 

_“Mom?”_

Ky’s ruby eyes widened as the dream shifted to a memory. Of Sachiko, dressed in black _mofuku,_ the candles she lit at Kira’s shrine illuminating her tear-streaked face. 

“I _knew_ Light. I think… I _always knew._ ” 

Kyrios cringed but let the façade fall away, still on some level expecting horror but only finding love and understanding as his mother hugged him. 

Sachiko embraced the monster that was her son without hesitation.

“Light, Kira, my son… My beautiful son—may you be blessed in all that you do.” 

***

That felt like it had been too easy. It made Kyrios all the more anxious about his encounter with his father. Things couldn’t continue to go this smoothly. It was statistically impossible. 

And so far he’d been correct in his prediction. 

For one, it took a while to track down the hotel Souichiro was staying in. 

Kyrios grimaced and gently pried the gun out of his sleeping father’s grip—deciding he _definitely_ shouldn’t be messing around with that, especially while inebriated—and then vanished the liquor bottles strewn about as he psyched himself up for the storm that was inevitably coming. 

That, no matter what happened here…

He was a God, he was the King of the Shinigami, he was responsible for administering justice to two worlds—he wasn’t that scared little boy anymore. Ryuk loved him, his mother accepted him, and Sayu was alright. He had human friends who missed him in the human world and he had friends and devoted followers in the Shinigami world. 

So whatever the outcome here, he would be alright… 

Kyrios smiled at Ryuk, where he stood in the corner, watching and giving his silent support, but not interfering because Kyrios had wanted to do this on his own.

Kyrios was thankful that he couldn’t actually remember his father shooting the blank into his head or no doubt that this entire thing would have been even more difficult. Of course he knew what happened. Ryuk had told him and he’d even seen the footage while lurking around a certain obsessive detective’s tower. 

As it was, he only felt a vague discomfort about the gun, even though he knew that it could never hurt him now. Perhaps the full force of the trauma would hit him later… or not at all. He had never been an intensely emotive person to begin with and it seemed the full spectrum of emotions was a bit muted for the dead.

Even if he couldn’t remember his death, Kyrios was sure that this would be the hardest visitation even if he was mostly detached from what had been his life before. In life he’d been desperate for this man’s approval above all others and in life this man had been his main antagonist once he’d begun his path as Kira and ultimately the cause of his death, albeit accidentally. 

Souichiro had never approved of Kira in life, he certainly wouldn’t now. 

Kyrios reminded himself again that he was the King of Death now and that these memories truly belonged to someone else. That was old Light. This is new Light… _Kyrios._

_Kyrios. I’m Kyrios now. But I’m Light for them, just for tonight. Just for a little longer..._

***

Souichiro’s sleep was tormented.

How could it not be, given what he’d done?

And now he had nothing left of his son. 

To the best of his knowledge L or his people still had Light’s body in evidence, still trying to find some evidence that his son was Kira.

He didn’t even have his watch. The watch that Light never took off. That was missing too… 

“You shouldn’t blame yourself, father.” 

_“Light?!”_

“I don’t blame you. It’s not your fault.”

“It was! Light! I _shot you—_ ”

“I know. I understand. It was an accident. And you were only trying to do what you thought right. _I forgive you,_ ” the ghost of Light said. 

It rang hollow. 

As did this beautiful image of his son—there was an air of unreality to it, it seemed overlaid with another image that he’d only catch glimpses out of the corner of his eyes—a fiend with glowing red eyes and sharpened claws.

“But— _Light!_ ” 

“Please don’t cry, father. I’m happier where I am now. I’m just… I’m sorry… dad. I never really fit into that life or what you wanted for me.”

“Light…” Souichiro swallowed. “ _Were_ you Kira?”

“Would it bring you any peace to know the answer?”

_“Please.”_

It was a dream and "Light Yagami" was dead. 

Nothing he said really mattered here. 

Surely it would give his father more peace, would assuage his guilt, since he thought Kira was evil it might give him some comfort to think that at least he'd at least stopped "evil" with his murder... 

And maybe he’d understand now. After all, he’d killed his human incarnation for the same reason that Kira had been a necessity.

“I was,” Ky said softly. 

“You were,” the old human sagged, suddenly looking every year his age. 

“I wasn’t when L had me though,” Kyrios elaborated. “I gave it up.” 

Souichiro made an anguished sound. 

_“Why?”_

“Why give it up?”

“ _Why_ were you Kira, Light?” 

Light turned away, and seemed to stare into the void that surrounded them in Souichiro’s dreamscape.

“When the power first came to me…” this shade of Light began in a deadened tone, which was all-too appropriate. “The first time I used it was to stop a madman from killing children. Of course, I didn’t think it was real at first. I panicked. But then, when I realized what I could do… I couldn’t do _nothing,_ you know? Not when I had the power to do something about it— _to protect people._ I don’t really expect you or any human to really understand—”

“Protecting?! _Protecting who?_ You just—”

“The good humans of course. I know they exist. I would not kill them then nor will I devour them now. Is that not what you always taught me, Father? If you see evil, and especially if you have the power to do something about it, it’s your responsibility to eradicate it. Otherwise you are complicit in that evil being committed. I had the power to do something. So I did.”

Light smiled beatifically, and with too-sharp teeth.

Souichiro groaned and buried his face in his hands. “I have failed you, Light. I have failed you.” 

Kyrios looked puzzled. “I don’t understand what you mean, father? You know I couldn’t stand by and do nothing, even if the world scorned me for it. I know… I know you probably hate me too, but I have stopped countless murderers and rapists from preying on the innocent. I knew killing was a crime but if being condemned as a murderer is the price to pay to protect the good people of this world then I’d gladly do it again. That said… well, human laws no longer apply to me, you know, on account of being dead,” Light let out a mad, bitter laugh. 

“Light… Light, I… I don’t hate you. Just… _why?!_ Why did you think you had to do that? You know you threw it all away for nothing?” 

“I… No, not for nothing. You still don’t understand, but that’s okay,” Kyrios sighed. “I just thought… I thought maybe… I could make the world a better place,” the shade gave a self deprecating laugh. “Pretty stupid right?” 

“No, son... that… It wasn’t stupid. I think I—I _do_ understand.” 

Of course Souichiro thought that Kira had gone too far. What he had done had made a mockery of justice but such chastisements meant little now. 

Now that Light was dead. 

Kira went too far, but Souichiro, unfortunately, _did_ understand. 

He’d killed his own son for that ideal of justice. 

“I’m so sorry, Light. I have failed you,” Souichiro repeated brokenly. 

“You didn’t. It’s _alright._ Or it _will be._ You needn’t worry anymore father. Things are as they should be. I’m happy here and I have no more concern for the human world. I will not be acting as Kira again,” the shade promised. He’d tell his father whatever he needed to hear to make peace with things and that much was even true—he wouldn’t be _acting_ as Kira. 

He was no longer _playing_ God. 

He was a God.

And when he killed now, if he was being perfectly honest, it wasn’t just about justice anymore but also because he was hungry—though criminals were still his preferred targets because he had retained his sense of morality. 

“Light is that… is that a _crown?_ ”

“Oh yeah. You see, uh my partner, well I kind of married into the royal family up here and well, they kind of… bequeathed the Kingdom to me. Yeah, I’m not exactly sure how that happened either, and it turned out to be kind of a big headache but… yeah. Don’t worry about it. I’m fine here and I’m going to rein in the Shinigami from tossing anymore notebooks into the human realm in the immediate future so Kira shouldn’t be a problem for you anymore.”

“I… I appreciate it.” 

“Oh, and dad? They need you, you know. Sayu needs you. She’s not like me and she never will be. She’s just a human girl who needs her father.” 

Souichiro cringed. He hadn’t even thought of what it would do to Sayu when he had tried to pull the trigger. He hadn’t thought of much of _anything_ other than… after what he’d done it was what he deserved. 

“Father? Here… I feel like I should give this to you.” 

“Light?” Souichiro questioned as Light removed something from his wrist. 

“I mean, it means a lot to me,” and it did, as much as he felt attached to anything from the human world these days, “but I feel that you might need it more. _Please._ If you do need to use it at all use it to protect yourself or others. That’s my only wish.” 

“Light what do you..? What are you sayi—?” 

“It’s okay. You’ll be okay now. Just remember. Sayu needs you.” Light insisted again right before the dream ended. 

Souichiro awoke with a start and was immediately put on edge when he realized the room was not as he’d left it. 

Someone had cleaned up his living space—his gun was missing, as were the beer bottles, empty or otherwise, and a watch now hung from his wrist. 

No, not _just_ a watch.

_The watch._ His son’s missing watch, a graduation gift that he'd gifted to his son, the watch that he’d been trying to acquire for months now.

Without knowing _how_ he knew what to do, Souichiro pulled the knob four times to find a scrap of unmarked paper inside. 

***

Sayu dried her eyes and went downstairs to the breakfast table in a daze. 

It was just a dream, a _beautiful dream._ Nothing more. 

It couldn’t have been… 

The feather could have just come from her pillow or blown in through the open window…

One look at her mother’s face dashed that assumption and a feeling of unreality crept around the edges of her senses when Sayu saw her mother hunched over on the couch, a white feather clutched in her hands. 

“You… you too? You saw him too?”

“Yes,” said a voice she was not expecting. 

Sayu gasped when she saw that her father had returned. He lingered in the doorway—Light’s watch hanging loosely from his wrist.

“He was here,” Sachiko gasped through her tears. “Light really was here.” 

***

“That was surprisingly painless,” Kyrios muttered, talons casually intertwined with Ryuk’s as they watched, crouching together unseen from a nearby rooftop. He’d had his misgivings, given that Armonia Justin seemed to think that the Dreamwalker power was only useful for torturing humans but it seemed that he could use his powers for good after all. Now the Yagami family could begin the process of healing. 

Kyrios supposed that all that was left now of Light Yagami’s unfinished business was to pay a visit to that asshole detective that got him killed…


End file.
